Category Archives: Uncategorized

May 23, 2017 · 5:08 pm

Instead of sending weapons to the Middle East, we should be sending food

President Trump’s new arms agreement with Saudi Arabia ignores the most urgent threat in the Middle East: famine.

Yemen is on the brink of starvation because of a civil war between a Saudi-led coalition and rebels. Sending more arms to Saudi Arabia will strengthen its military machine to further wage war in Yemen. As Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, “many of the armaments we’re providing to Saudi Arabia will help them be much more precise and targeted with many of their strikes.”

What we should be doing instead is providing food to Yemen.

See my full commentary at The Hill:

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May 19, 2017 · 2:48 pm

We Should Be Dealing with the North Korean Threat the JFK Way

Nuclear-armed North Korea’s latest missile test shows the growing threat to South Korea, Japan and even the United States. The rogue nation may gain the capability of reaching the U.S. with a nuclear missile.

There is also fear North Korea may soon conduct its sixth nuclear test explosion. Senator John McCain says the Korea standoff is “like a Cuban missile crisis in slow motion.”

See my column at the History News Network

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April 30, 2017 · 1:59 am

My Time Column on the Rush-Bagot Treaty

President Trump had some harsh words for Canada recently over their trade policies for the dairy industry.

But Trump should be praising the friendship with our neighbor to the north. In fact, if he watched a recent episode of the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon he would have a good briefing in U.S.-Canadian relations.

It happened in a dance off between Fallon and actor Mike Myers. Myers was representing his homeland Canada and Fallon the United States. When the dancing duel was ending, Myers talked about the peaceful relations between the U.S. and Canada. He mentioned the Rush-Bagot agreement, which was negotiated when Canada was a colony of Great Britain.

See my column at Time Magazine.

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March 23, 2017 · 3:00 am

We’re in a Global Hunger Crisis. Solution? Take JFK’s Approach

The U.S. government’s global famine warning system has sounded the alarm on hunger. As a result of conflict and drought “70 million people, across 45 countries, will require emergency food assistance this year.”

Four countries (South Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia) are in the gravest danger of famine.

As the Trump administration gets underway, they are suddenly faced with a world hunger crisis that is “unprecedented in recent decades.” How will they respond to the biggest foreign policy emergency of their first year?

See my full article at The History News Network:

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March 23, 2017 · 2:37 am

We Must Respond to South Sudan Famine

The United Nations declared famine Monday in parts of South Sudan, where 100,000 people are facing starvation. It could get much worse too with another million on the brink.

South Sudan, which has suffered immensely from civil conflict, could see over 5 million people living in hunger if no action is taken.

Read the full article at the Huffington Post:

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March 23, 2017 · 2:27 am

Food Urgently Needed in War-Torn Yemen

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s plea for “humanitarian assistance throughout Yemen” must be followed with robust action by the U.S. and its allies.

There is a severe risk of famine in the impoverished Middle Eastern nation. The United States and other donor nations must increase their food aid to Yemen.

The United Nations World Food Programme says there are now 17 million people in Yemen struggling to find food, with about 7 million needing emergency aid just to survive.

Read my full article at the Huffington Post:

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March 4, 2017 · 1:50 am

Cleveland Plain Dealer oped on nuclear weapons

President Donald Trump can be a peacemaker and lead the world in eliminating nuclear weapons. Or he could lead us into a dangerous nuclear arms race.

If he looks to history, the president will see that mutual disarmament can be in our best interests. This year marks the 200th anniversary of a disarmament agreement that unfolded in Cleveland’s own backyard.

See my full article at the Cleveland Plain Dealer

 

 

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March 4, 2017 · 1:37 am

San Diego Union Tribune commentary: Build up diplomacy, not nukes

The nuclear tweet from Donald Trump was not exactly the holiday season message we were hoping for. The president-elect said on Dec. 22, via twitter, “The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.”

But sadly no mention of strengthening our diplomacy to reduce the nuclear threat. You have to ask where’s the peace?

Read my full commentary at the San Diego Union Tribune:

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December 31, 2016 · 8:05 pm

My Christmas Day column in the Cleveland Plain Dealer: Operation Reindeer!

Way back in 1953, Santa Claus took a little time out of his busy schedule to help a new president of the United States, Dwight Eisenhower. We hear a lot about presidential appointments these days. Well, that year it was Santa who was called to action by the president.

The holiday season inspired “Operation Reindeer,” Eisenhower’s plan to send Christmas food packages to hungry people around the world

See my full article in the Christmas Day Plain Dealer (page E2).

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December 31, 2016 · 7:26 pm

Column: Remember the hungry this Christmas

No one should go hungry, especially at this time of year. There is enough food on the planet for everyone.

Communities and nations are stronger when people are fed and nourished. So let’s make sure no one goes hungry this holiday season and throughout the year.

See my column at Cincinnati.com

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